Electric-conductor connector



A. W. CAPS. ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR CONNECTOR- APPLICATION FILED JUNEF, 1920.

1 Patented Mar. 28, 1922,.

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ARTHUR W. CAPS, 0F TOEA, KANSAS.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. Cars, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- peka, in the county of. Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Conductor Connectors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which-it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to electric conductor connectors in which two complementary terminal-carrying members co-operate to complete a circuit. 1

The invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with conductor connectors employed for making and breaking low tension lines and they are generally applicable for use in connection with devices used for industrial purposes.

Broadly the invention consists of a plug member and a socket member, and one of the object-s thereof is-to provide an improved form of connector which may be manufactured at relatively small cost and constructed in such manner that the parts may be readily assembled and whereby, in certain in stances, double parts co-operate to provide a finished member. For example, the plug member is preferably constructed in two halves, each of which is-a duplicate of the other, and the members of the two halves are so arranged that they co-operate to provide a shell or casing for the finished plug. This reduces the cost of manufacture and expedites the method of assemblage since there are no rights and lefts to be soldered, any two members fitting together in a convenient manner.

The socket member also has certain novel features of construction, which will be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. I is a perspective View of a complete conductor connector constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is a view showing the socket member in section and one-half of the plug member in elevation.

Fig. III is a perspective vlew of the two separated halves of the plug member.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2%, 1 .222.

Application filed. June 7, 1920. Serial 180. 336,980.

socket terminals.

Fig. V is a sectional view through the plug member shell or casing.

Fig. VI is an elevational view showing one-half of-a modified, form ofconnector.

Fig. VII is a view of one-half of a modified form of plug member, and

Fig. VIII is an elevational View of an insulation plate for the socket member shown in Figs. I and II.

The plug member is shown as consisting of two halves 10 and 11, one of which is'a counterpart of the other so that the two members may be brought together to complete the housin or shell for the plug. Since they are o like construction, assemblage will be facilitated as well as the cost of manufacture reduced because it will not be necessary to provide different dies or molds for the respective members constituting the shell.

Each member consists of a plate 12 having side flanges 13 and 14 and an end flange 15, provided with a notch 16 to co-operate with a corresponding notch on the complementary member to form a conductor cord opening. The radius on which is such that the diameter of the opening formed by bringing the members 10 and 11 together will be less than the diameter of the end of the cord so that the edges of the flanges 15 will resist accidental disassociathe notch 16 is formed tion of the cord with the plug, as will be eX- relative longitudinal .rnovement by means of oppositely disposed lu s or projections 25 and 26, which engage t e recesses 2'? in the floor of the slots 21 and 22, the slots 21 and 22 being of sufficient width to allow lost motion ofthe knives whereby the forward ends thereof may have sufiicient movement to automatically find their seats in mating sockets previously described. The forward ends of the knives 23 and 24 extend into the recess 19, sub-divided by the longitudinally extending wall orflange 28, integral with the partition bar 17. The rearward ends of the knives 23 and 24 extend into the rear recess and are'bent at obtuse" angles to provide heads 29 and 30, which carry bind mg posts 31 and 32 to receive the ends of' the conductors 33 and 34 of the conductor cord 35 which is of usual construction.

The diameter of the conductor cord 35is substantially that of the diameter of the opening formed by the notches 16 when the parts 10 and 11 are brought together, and as it is customary to wrap the end of the conductor cord 35 with a blnding thread 36 it will be apparent by reference to Fig. II that the edges of the flanges 15 will resist the tendency of the cord to pull out of the plug because the wrapping willbe too large to be pulled through the opening formed by the notches 16.

In order to further efiiciently connect the cord to the plug, the conductors 33 and 34 are looped about. anchor posts 37 in the floors of the chambers 20, as clearly shown in Fig. II;

On the ahuttin faces of the members 10 and 11 are upstan ing centering pins or lugs 38, which are receivable in recesses 39 on opposite sides of the plug, that is, a recess in member 10 will receive a pin or lug on" member 11 and vice versa, this insuring easy assemblage and proper alignment of the parts so that the two members 10 and 11 ma be easily fastened together b a single bolt or fastening device 40 (see ig. V).

The members 10 and 11 will preferably consist of molded insulation, hard rubber or 46, w ich clamp the rear wal 47 of the socket member between them. The openings 43 and 44 are sufliciently large to enable the yielding blade terminals of the socket member to project therethrough with out contactingv therewith, this being particularly shown in Fig. II.

.The terminals for the socket member are shown in Fig. IV as consisting of yielding or spring blades 48 and 48 having outwardly bent guide lips 49 and 50 to receive the knives 23 and 24 of the lug member. The rearward ends of the bla es 48 and 48' are offset, as at 51 and 52, and terminate in half round, threaded bolt members 53 and 54m provide a bolt or threaded end adapted to pass through the insulation plates 45 and 46 and be secured thereto by the washers 55 and 56 and the jam nuts 57. There is also an insulation plate 58 on the threaded portions 53 and 54 and bearing against the offset portions 51 and 52, as shown in Fig;

II, to provide an abutting face and stop to limit the extent of movement of the plug into the socket.

In Fig. I, -I have shown the insulation plate 45- as extending above the top of the socket member 41 and as provided with notches 59 and 60, the washers 43 and 44 in this instance extending up parallel with the washer 45 and having right angular projections 61 and 62 receivable in the notches 59 and 60 so that they will be turning on the bolts formed y the members A 53 and 54. The washers, which .are shown as in the form of terminals, carry binding posts 63 and 64'whereby the'conductors for the member carried by the socket 41 may be connected. It is obvious, however, that the conductors may be connected to the washers 43 and 44 by introducing them beneathv the nults -45 and 46 if desired.

it will be apparent that the socket terminals are so constructed that the, blades 48 and 48' will have an inherent tendency, to move one toward the other so that they will be in intimate contact but when the plug is introoo duced into the socket; the knives will be guided between the lips 49 and 50 so as to pass between the blades 48 and 48 and thereby complete the circuit.

It will also be apparent that the devices are so constructed thatthey may be readily manufactured and assembled at relatively small cost.

In Fig. VI I have shown a slightly modified formof socket member and plug in which both the socket member and the plug 65 and 66 respectively, are formed of insulating', sectional blocks,'; each consisting of two halves, one a duplicate of the other and that instead of extending the ends 53 and 54 in! the form of threaded. portions, they are fiat, as indicated at 67 and 68, and are provided with terminals 69 and- 70 to re ceive the conductors of the cord 71, aswill be readily understood. In the construction shown in Fig. VI the plug member does not actually enter .into the socket member but abuts against its end. The knives 23 and 24, however, enter between the yielding blades 48 and 48' in substantially the same manner as in the construction shown in Figs. I, II and III.

In Fig. VII the anchor posts 37 are not employed but in lieu thereof a knot 72 may be formed by tying the two conductors 33 revented from 85 reference to Figs. I, II, III and IV 95 and 34 together so that in the event that the end of the cord pulls through the opening in the plug, further movement will be resisted by the knots thus formed. In other respects, however, the construction shown in Fig. VII approximates that shown in Figs. I, II and III.

Attention is called to the fact that one set of terminals, in the present instance the set carried by the socket, consists of forked members, these members being formed in duplicate and brought together to provide a fork having co-operating blades to receive the knife on the opposite member, in the present instance the plug. The manner of forming the receiving forks enables the same to be constructed inexpensively and assembled readily. Vhen they are connected in the socket member, the shanks. for all in- .ters-Patent is In an electric conductor connector, a plug comprising paired recessed members of nonconductive material. each comprising a transverse bridge dividing its interior into terminal and contact chambers, the bridge having slots therein of less depth than the contact chamber, and contact knives set edgewise in the slots and having lugs at their contact ends engaging the bridge to prevent longitudinal movement of the knives.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR W. CAPS. 

